Levona Van Duyn

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Tuesday, January 15, 2019

Tuesday, September 3, 2013

The Shipwreck at Cape Agulhas was called the Meisho Maru No.38. It ran aground on 16 November 1982. All 17 crew members swam to safety. It carried a consignment of tinned fish, which was also offloaded. The ship was never removed and with time it disintegrated, until only a small section of the front is still visible. Although it took one and a half years to complete, I spent about 40 - 50 hours in total, painting it. It is Acrylic on boxed canvas. If you want to know how it was created, then please may I refer you to the page on this blog for the step by step account of how it was created.

Monday, February 25, 2013

Please forgive the quality of the photo, I definitely have to invest in a good quality camera, sooner, rather than later. I really enjoyed doing this watercolour, because it gave me the freedom to explore with some bold colors in the shadowy bits. Watercolours are very unpredictable and I held my breath hoping that I would not spoil the painting with my impulsive use of strong colour. I must say, I was very pleased with the result as well as the new owner. This painting have since been sold.

Speaking of Rhino's - this brings me to a very sore point. The vast majority of Africa's Rhino's are in South Africa. Currently our game rangers are fighting a fierce battle to keep the poachers at bay. Each time a Rhino gets killed for it's horn, it really feels like a dagger going through my heart. I do hope and pray that we'll win this war against Rhino poaching. They are such special animals. There are various groups and organisations which you may contact, should you wish to assist in any small way..

It's been years since I've last picked up a pencil to do some sketching. I
felt a bit apprehensive at first, riddled with self doubt, what if I've forgotten
how to sketch. I mostly focussed on paintings in the last few years. Once I
started all self doubt started to disappear and this pencil sketch was the
result. I don’t know about you, but I’m one of those people who find it very
difficult to start something – whether it’s a new painting, sorting out the
wardrobe, or starting to exercise. I’ve found however, that once I jump in, it
becomes easier and quite enjoyable to do the task at hand. I have been
suffering from depression for a number of years, which is why starting anything
new is a bit of a challenge. By the way, for those of you who are feeling a bit
down, or is currently suffering from depression – I can really say that
practising art or any craft or hobby that you loved – or once loved,
is a sure-fire way to release those feel good hormones. This is why I love
practicing art so much it really is part and parcel of who I am…

Friday, April 20, 2012

This painting was initially done with a palette knife, after which the final details was added with a brush, just to bring out the face of the animal somewhat. Upon completion, it kinda looked to me like a ghostly creature, with the winds of the Plains of Africa, rushing through it's mane. And the Phantom Lion was born!

Saturday, April 14, 2012

Last year, my husband and I visited the beautiful Kirstenbosch Gardens - on the outskirts of Cape Town. We were attending an art exhibition held by the South African Society of Artists (SASA). What an inspiring day...the artwork by the members were simply beautiful. Later that day we strolled through the gardens, appreciating it's beauty. I did not have a camera at hand at the time and decided to take pictures with my camera phone. And this painting is the result.

A colleague of mine asked me to paint a portrait of his friend. I was a bit sceptical because the last time I've sketched, let alone painted a portrait of people was in 1990 - 20 years ago! Nevertheless, I've decided to give it a try and this is the result!